Comment: The following a report of the Cyprus government Press and Information Office of 8 May 2003.

Different reactions to Wolfowitz's criticism of Turkey

NTV television
(07.05.03) broadcast that there have been mixed reactions to comments
from a senior Bush Administration official that Turkey had failed to
sufficiently back the US in the recently concluded war in Iraq. In an
interview broadcast on Turkish television on Tuesday, US Deputy Defence
Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Turkey should recognise it had made a
mistake in not giving greater support to Washington in the war against
Iraq. Wolfowitz also said that Turkey should look into ways of how it
could help the US in the future, especially in regard to Iran and Syria.

While Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul tried to play down the comments, saying
that much had been taken out of context and that many of Wolfowitz's
statements had been "sincere and pragmatic", others were not so
generous.

A stronger reaction came from Justice Minister Cemil Cicek.

"In fact it is the US and Wolfowitz that should look at themselves
and ask, 'Where did we make a mistake?'", the Minister said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was also among those to comment
on the statement, saying that his country chose its own path and had
acted without having expectations in return.

Opposition party leader Deniz Baykal of the Republican People's
Party (RPP) said that Wolfowitz's statements were a reflection of his
own personal disappointment. Baykal also slammed the US official for
criticising the Turkish military for not being decisive enough in
pushing for greater support to the US in the war.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that the US Deputy Defence
Secretary had been given the necessary response.